Retractable exhaust hood for a processing vessel



Nov. 14, 1967 J B. PASKO, JR 3,352,284

RETRACTABLE EXHAUST HOOD FOR A PROCESSING VESSEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1965 IN l/E/V TOR.

PA 8K0, JR.

A t tome-y JOSEPH B. By

Nov. 14, 1967 J. B. PASKO, JR 3,

RETRACTABLE EXHAUST HOOD FOE A PROCESSING VESSEL Filed July 22, 1965 2 SheetsSheet 2 AJZ) a/v I I w I 80 v a a 26 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH B. PAS/(0, JR.

A I rorney United States Patent Office 3,352,284 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 3,352,284 RETRACTABLE EXHAUST HOOD FOR A PROCESSING VESSEL Joseph B. Pasko, Jr., Gary, Ind., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 22, 1965, Ser. No. 474,009 3 Claims. (Cl. 118-429) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Fume exhaust hood comprises a lower chamber rigidly aflixed to a processing vessel and an upper chamber retractable relative to the lower chamber to thereby pro vide easy access to the vicinity of the processing vessel for making adjustments, repairs, and so forth.

The present invention relates generally to fume exhaust systems, and more particularly, has as its primary object the provision of an improved exhaust hood construction consisting of an upper and lower chamber especially suitable for use with the processing vessel of a hot-dip coating apparatus.

As a corollary to the above object, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved exhaust hood construction as set forth above wherein the upper chamber is retractable relative to the lower chamber to thereby provide easy access to the coating apparatus in the immediate vicinity of the processing vessel for the purpose of making adjustments, repairs, replacements, etc.

The above objects will become more apparent after referring to the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial front elevational view partly in section showing an idler pinion and an adjourning bracket of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VV of FIGURE 3.

Although not restricted thereto, the apparatus of my invention is particularly suitable for use in conjunction with apparatus for terne coating metal strip and, therefore, in this connection a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates the exit passageway of the processing vessel of a conventional teme coating apparatus. Two pairs of adjustable pinch-wiper rolls 4 are disposed in the passageway 2 for engaging the coated strip S as it progresses through the passageway.

Reference numeral 6 designates generally the exhaust hood of the invention which includes a lower chamber portion 8 and an upper chamber portion 10. The lower chamber portion 8 is connected and communicates with the passageway 2 and is formed with parallel spaced side walls 12 connected by end walls 14. The walls 12 and 14 are made up of steel panels supported by vertical and horizontal structural members. An exhaust duct 20 projects from one side of the lower chamber 8 for conducting fumes away from the hood. A conventional exhaust fan (not shown) may be provided in the duct 20.

Two motors 22 and 24, the functions of which will become apparent hereinafter, are disposed on suitable mountings within the lower chamber portion 8.

A flange 26 is welded, or otherwise rigidly fastened to and extends along the top edge of each of the side walls 12 of the lower chamber portion 8. Two pairs of spaced,

parallel, and upstanding bearing plates 28 are rigidly connected, by welding or similar means, to the upper surface of each of the flanges 26. Each pair of bearing plates 28 is provided with matching pairs of notches or slots 30 at intervals therealong for journaling the shafts 32 of idler pinions 34. The adjacent ends of the pairs of bearing plates 28 on each of the flanges 26 are separated by a platform 36 rigidly mounted on the flanges and on each of which is fixedly mounted a pair of spaced bearing blocks 38. As best shown in FIGURE 2, a drive shaft 40 having a sprocket 42 keyed to one end thereof is journaled in the bearing blocks 38 on each of the platforms 36 and extends between the upper edges of the side walls 12. A driving pinion 44 is keyed to shaft 40 between. each of the two pairs of bearing blocks 38.

The upper chamber portion 10 is formed with spaced side walls 46 connected by end walls 48. Walls 46 and 48 are made up of metal panels supported by vertical and horizontal structural members. A flange 54, similar to flanges 26, is welded or otherwise rigidly fastened to the bottom edge of each of the side walls 46 and extends longitudinally therealong. A rack 56 is welded, or otherwise rigidly attached, to the undersurface of and extends longitudinally along each of the flanges 54. The racks 56 are in mesh with the idler pinions 34 and the driving pinions 44.

The sprocket 42 on the end of drive shaft 40 is connected with and driven by a sprocket 50 carried by the drive shaft of motor 22 by means of an endless chain 70.

As best shown in FIGURE 1, a pair of pinch rolls 60, a drum 62, two pressure rolls 64, and guide rolls 66 and 68, which serve to conduct the coated strip from the hot-dip processing vessel to the wind-up reel (not shown) in a conventional manner, are jonrnaled in the upper chamber portion 10 and are driven by endless chains 72, 73 and 74. Chain 74 at one end is trained around a sprocket 76 carried by the drive shaft of motor 24. The other end of chain 74 is trained around a drive sprocket 77 which drives chain 73 which in turn drives chain 72 through a drive sprocket 79. The strip conducting rolls, drum and the drive therefor just described is conventional.

A plurality of brackets 78, each of which is substantially C-shaped in section, are aflixed at spaced intervals to the bearing plates 28 by means of bolts 80. As best shown in FIGURE 5, the upper flange portion of each of the brackets 78 is provided with a notch 81 into which one edge of the flange 54 fits slidably.

In operation, when repairs or adjustments are required to be made to the pinch rolls 4 or to any other part of the coating apparatus in the vicinity of the passageway 2, the upper chamber portion 10 is retracted laterally along the upper edge of the lower chamber portion 8, as shown by broken lines in FIGURE 1, until the area above the passageway 2 is clear. This is done by actuating motor 22 to drive chain to cause rotation of the two drive pinions 44 through rotation of sprocket 42 and shaft 40 to which sprocket 42 is keyed. The drive pinions 44 are in mesh with the racks 56 so that rotation of the drive pinions 44 causes the racks 56 and the upper chamber portion 10, to which the racks are attached. to move longitudinally along the upper edge of the lower chamber portion 8.

It will be understood that the driving connection between the motor 24 and drive sprocket 77 is disengaged before the drive pinions 44 are rotated.

It will be further understood that cooperating stops (not shown) may be provided on the upper and lower chamber portions 8 and 10 to limit the extent of move ment of the upper chamber portion 10.

Although I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an exhaust hood for collecting fumes arising from a processing vessel, the combination with a lower chamber portion connected to said vessel and projecting upwardly therefrom, of an upper chamber portion retractably mounted on said lower portion, means for retracting said upper portion from normal position overlying said lower portion and restoring it thereto, said chamber portions having opposed side walls,-flanges secured to the lower edges of the upper portion side walls. and to the upper edges of the lower portion side walls, and brackets spaced along the flanges on the upper edges of said lower portion side walls and secured thereto, said brackets slidably receiving said flanges on the lower edges of the upper portion side walls.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 including bearings spaced along the flanges on the upper edges of said lower members are pinions, and racks are secured to the flanges on the lower edges of said upper chamber portion, said racks meshing with said pinions.v

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 809,645 1/1906 Treat 981 15 X 2,777,782 1/1957 Shefler et al M 118-326 X 3,128,206 4/1964 Dungler 118429 X 3,148,614 9/1964 Nielsen 98-115 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

J. P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN EXHAUST HOOD FOR COLLECTING FUMES ARISING FROM A PROCESSING VESSEL, THE COMBINATION WITH A LOWER CHAMBER PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID VESSEL AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, OF AN UPPER CHAMBER PORTION RETRACTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID LOWER PORTION, MEANS FOR RETRACTING SAID UPPER PORTION FROM NORMAL POSITION OVERLYING SAID LOWER PORTION AND RESTORING IT THERETO, SAID CHAMBER PORTIONS HAVING OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, FLANGES SECURED TO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE UPPER PORTION SIDE WALLS AND TO THE UPPER EDGES OF THE LOWER PORTION SIDE WALLS, AND BRACKETS SPACED ALONG THE FLANGES ON THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID LOWER PORTION SIDE WALLS AND SECURED THERETO, SAID BRACKETS SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID FLANGES ON THE LOWER EDGES OF THE UPPER PORTION SIDE WALLS. 